Duran Duran Loses Copyright Battle in Court

British waveband, Duran Duran, have lost a High Court battle for the US rights to some of their highly renown tracks. The group claimed that copyright laws in the US gave them the right to request a reversal of copyright 35 years later. Rio, A View to a Kill and Girls on Film were amid the debated songs.

The members had attempted to end the concession to Gloucester Place Music Ltd, a part of EMI Music Publishing, of US copyrights in their initial three albums. However, lawyers for Gloucester Place Music Ltd succeeded in saying English laws of contract prevented them from doing so. The albums Rio, Duran Duran, the Ragged Tiger and Seven included many of the group’s major successes such as Hungry Like the Wolf.

The court case has been viewed as a trial thats conclusion would have consequences for artists across the country since many more have signed similar deals with large companies. This has sparked outrage and solidarity from the public.